Capitaine of Mischeefe
“Capitaine of Mischeefe” was another term for the Lord of Misrule, who presided over festivities from Christmas Day through Twelfth Night, and sometimes all the way through Candlemas (in early February). The spelling of this title reflects the Tudor / Elizabethan period these wild Christmas traditions come from. This is the second in my Lords of Misrule series: a punch that tells the story of the expansion of products due to colonization by European nations that occurred during the 17th and 18th centuries. Much like the British colonization of India and the demand for tea in Britain, countries like Sweden and the Netherlands introduced their populations to arrack, which had a domino effect. Not only did people make their own punches with arrack but eventually it was manufactured as a bottled product (much like Pimm’s Cup). The combination of ingredients produces a punch with flavors of dried fig, slight smokiness, tropical fruit and spices, and a subtle butteriness.
INGREDIENTS
1 oz. brandy de Jerez
¾ oz. Batavia arrack
¾ oz. lime juice
½ oz. Madeira, medium-dry
½ oz. Swedish Punsch
¼ oz. demerara syrup (1:1)
1 teaspoon allspice dram
Nutmeg, for garnish
ABV LEVEL
Combine all in a shaker. Fill shaker two-thirds full with ice. Seal and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Double strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
